My research mainly focuses on the functional and neural mechanisms
underlying the representation of body and object use and also deals
with the development of an anatomo-functional model of action
recognition and imitation. More recent interests are about the
effect of exercise on cognitive abilities along the lifespan and
with a special interest on its effect in contrasting cognitive
ageing. These issues are approached by using behavioral,
psychophysical and neuropsychological methods in healthy and
neurological patients.
Action imitation and representation
Imitation is a cognitive ability that allows humans to
learn complex movements by observation and takes place throughout
the lifetime of the individuals. So far research has concentrated
on two processes to reproduce movements (a process retrieving
information on actions we already possess in long-term memory, and
a processing allowing to decompose the seen actions in simpler
elements and to translate them in motor acts) and the factors that
determine their selection. In this project research focuses on: a)
the role of frontal lobe in controlling and supervising the
parietal areas responsible for motor control; b) the role of body
representations in the imitation processes in both healthy subjects
(adults and children) and neurological patients.
2) Body representation
The aim this project is to analyze the cognitive processes and the
brain mechanisms governing the representation of the body. In
particular, it investigates: a) " if" and "what" changes are
induced by physical alterations of the body (e.g. traumatic
amputation of a limb); or b) how the body representation mainly
linked to either actions (i.e. the body schema) or a visual-spatial
representation (i.e the structural representation of the body)
interact with each other. To this aim healthy subjects, brain
damaged patients and amputees will be submitted to experiments
investigating which brain areas are mainly involved in this
function and which information is crucial to build the
representation of one's own body.
3) Object use
The cognitive processes and the anatomical substrates involved in
the interaction with objects and the representation of their use
will be investigated in both healthy individuals, neurological
patients and individuals with body anomalies. Both functional
knowledge and affordances will be studied. In particular object use
will be tested in patients with brain injury and specific deficits
related to motor control (i.e. patients with ideational or
ideomotor apraxia).
4) Effects of exercise on cognitive
abilities
Recent studies have highlighted the beneficial effect of exercise
and physical activity on cognitive abilities, and especially
executive functions. Aim of this project is to investigate the
effects of physical activities with different cognitive loads
(open vs. closed skills) on a variety of cognitive processes
in adults (both young and old adults) and children. Besides
theoretical aspects, the projects aims at developing tailored
physical training programs for either maintaining good cognitive
abilities in the healthy elderly or slowing cognitive decline in
individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
